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Do you know what’s scary? You know that paralysis of fear that you feel right before the drop of a rollercoaster? Or the gut wrenching anxiety when you walk into a hospital? That moment of desperation when you swerve quickly to avoid a fatal collision? We each have our own definitions of fear. For me, losing your job is scary, but what’s worse is staying in your job.

Two weeks ago, I quit my job. What I do is not impressive, and it’s not particularly well paid. In fact, it is minimum wage and it has made me miserable every day for the last 8 months. The sensible thing to do would be to line another job up before quitting, but there’s a moment of content peacefulness that comes when you reach your limit. I knew that enough was enough, and had I not done it then I am not sure I ever would have. Continue reading →

Disclaimer: Views are my own, this particular article is an expression of thought and not a reflection of my own life or circumstances. Any links made to my own life by others are purely speculative. All rights reserved.

“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” ― George Orwell

You would like to think you believe in freedom of speech. Do you, though? When it comes down to lessons in expression of thought and freedom to speak out, would you be willing to silence others?

You can’t be afraid of thought or ideologies that are oppositional to your own. Discrimination, sexism and racism are all limitations of free speech and rightly so. You can hold whatever opinion you like in your own domain, but you cannot take those views from the private sphere and into the public sphere. You might not like someone’s race, religion or belief, but then again I don’t like your eyebrows and I won’t throw that into a public forum for careless scrutiny. So, do you believe in freedom of speech? If someone offends you, your family or your friends, do you really want to take it on the chin when you’re bombarded with things you don’t want to hear? Everything within reason, and everything within logic. You also need to consider what it is you disagree with before you speak, is it the person themselves, or the way they conduct their business. Continue reading →

Why should you do something for free if you’re good at it? But why shouldn’t you if its all you want to do? Because you have bills to pay and a TV license fee you’re currently pretending is non existent. There’s also this thing called starvation you might want to avoid.

It is a common misconception and assumption that graduates are prepared to (and should do) anything for free, as long as it helps them in the long run. We buy into this with a peppy, pro active and somewhat whimsical attitude. It will look good to employers, we say. A year following my graduation, I can tell you that you should never do anything for free. During your studies, yes. But after you have your degree? No, you’ve done the hard work. Do it for yourself and blog or contribute because you want to, but don’t let someone else gain from what you have done for nothing. Unless it’s The New York Times, there’s always an exception. Continue reading →

Time flies when you’re having fun. And when you’re sinking into debt. C’est la vie, friends. We are not in it alone. That day was almost a year ago, when we looked ahead with ferocity and a slight naivety towards the job market. Continue reading →

Original image by twicepix at Flickr. Licensed
under Creative Commons.

As an audience built of Millenials, structured reality television is our guilty pleasure. As a nation, we consume more reality tv than ever. You’re part of one even if you weren’t aware of it. It isn’t structured, there is no Chanel lipgloss, and we don’t reap the financial benefits of photo shoots or club appearances. You’re very much under the magnifying glass, be cautious not to be crushed underneath it. Welcome to reality television.

A recent Skills and Employment Survey concluded that job insecurity is now at a 20 year high. The results established that 52% of workers are concerned about job status, and almost a third of those questioned raised concerns of unfair treatment in the workplace. Anxiety among the workplace isn’t a deviation and many struggle with daily worries when it comes to their employment. With less control and more surveillance, it could be suggested that this work orientated anxiety can result in a descent in productivity. Continue reading →